Artist Indarnil Bagchi working on the creative for the exhibition
Lucknow: ‘Not Nayak, but Mahanayak; not Uttam, but Oti Uttam’ — that is how many Bengalis describe the legendary actor Uttam Kumar , whose birth centenary began on Sept 3 this year and has transcended into a celebration of his cult. His first eight films (1948-52) flopped for which he was called a flop master, but he didn’t give up. Because of unbeatable screen presence and star appeal which he nurtured by leading a private life and working very hard on his craft, bibliophile Rupali Chatterjee said, “Uttam Kumar achieved the cult status.
His birth centenary is set to double the joy of Durga Puja celebrations here,” president of Bengali Club Arun Banerjee said. “The celebration rests on the sentiment his admirers hold in their hearts for their Mahanayak,” said Manish Roychoudhury, an admirer. “For many families, Uttam Kumar is remembered like an illustrious ancestor, walking in whose footsteps is obligatory,” said DK Dey, a retired govt officer. UP tourism officer Anushree Banerjee said, “Uttam Kumar wasn’t a born superstar. “Women loved his poppadom, pout, poise and pleasing demeanour,” said Priyanka Sarkar, a culture enthusiast. “No wonder people say that he had a Midas touch,” he said, closing with Satyajit Ray ’s famous line ‘There is no one like Uttam and there will be no one to ever replace him.’
“Uttam Kumar lives in the hearts of Bengalis. To many women, he epitomised romance. This was despite critics stating that Uttam Kumar did not fit the classical definition of being handsome. He added that love for Uttam Kumar could be gauged from the fact that even a film that presented him as a ghost (Oti Uttam) also became a box-office hit.